Brotherly Love!
by CiZiwejes
Summary: Chapter 5's up and chap4 was improvised!Poisoned and injured,Gojyo was left dying under the monk's nursing.Wonder how good Sanzo is in taking care of the broken man?Read and if u don mind, review. Enjoy!
1. The Cry

Brotherly Love

Chapter 1

The spiky brown haired boy leapt out of the bathroom and entered his room. Goku tossed his towel randomly to the floor and put on his favorite outfit, a cream colored shirt, a tight fitted pair of jeans and lastly a yellow cloak. He dried his hair. Fringes of brown hair popped up at instant and he later combed it before splashing some of Gojyo's cologne onto his cloth. The golden-eyed boy then leapt out of the room and hopped into another room, where two men stood waiting.

"Ohaiyo Hakkai!" Goku chirped merrily as he slammed the door opened with one mighty push of his body. The emerald-eyed man, standing by the tableside, looked up to him and greeted him with a smile so bright.

"Ohaiyo Goku!" Hakkai returned the morning greet with a melodious tone. He was busy arranging the plates and bowl on their breakfast table.

Goku glanced at Sanzo. The blonde monk sat reading a newspaper before the table. He had his reading glasses on. The young itan tiptoed silently when he reached before the monk. He looked at Sanzo out of the corner of his eyes. The paper was still held upright before the monk's face.

Goku sighed. A little further, just a little further. Suddenly, he heard a ruffling sound. Goku's pace stopped and he halted right in front of the monk. He turned around abruptly and gaped at seeing the harisen coming down onto his harisen connected with his skull and disengaged in a matter of a second. Then, it was withdrawn into the oversized sleeve of the blonde's robe.

"Ittai!" Goku groaned and rubbed his head hastily, trying to cease the throbbing pain. A nasty lump appeared from beneath the scalps. The young itan pouted as he looked up to Sanzo. "Nande sun dai yo?" he asked, rather annoyed.

"That's for drinking sake without my permission, being unconscious soon after that and making us dragged you to bed!" Sanzo said calmly as he settled back to his chair and lifted his newspaper once again.

"Ch! If it's not for that kappa challenging me to drink I wouldn't do it" Goku defended himself. It's not his fault anyway. Gojyo tricked him to drink the sake and he ended up having the worst hangover he ever had. That however was the only hangover he ever had and yet he only drank one glass…

"Eow!" he yelled alarmingly as the harisen had once again came in contact with his body, this time his butt. Goku hopped and settled himself on a chair, next to Hakkai. "Sugoi!!" he exclaimed happily at seeing the delicious meal on the table, no doubt prepared by the chef of the ikkou, Hakkai.

"Itadakimasu!!" Goku greeted everyone before he picked up a pair of chopsticks and started gobbling up everything on the table in haste. Hakkai and Sanzo looked up to each other as if wanted to say something. Hakkai glanced to the door and shook his head.

"Yare…yare… I guess we don't have to wait for Gojyo ne?" Hakkai sighed as he picked up his chopsticks.

Goku stopped eating. A meat bun stuffed in his mouth. His eyes widened. "That kappa left at midnight… saying that he wants to buy a new pack of cigarette" he explained and started gobbling the food all over again.

Sanzo grunted. He picked up a spring roll and when he was about to take a bite , the door was jerked opened. A loud bang, caused by the door slamming to the wall made their heads turned the other way around.

A tall, redheaded man stood by the door, staggering on his feet and supporting his body from stumbling to the floor by holding to the doorknob. The bloody sight of the man made Hakkai and Goku rose up to his feet at sudden. Hakkai dropped the chopsticks on the table and darted toward the red haired man.

"Gojyo!!" Hakkai, Goku and Sanzo yelled out the man's name.

Hakkai reached him just in time, right before he collapsed to the hard floor beneath his feet. The emerald-eyed man held him by his shoulder and crouched the wounded man to his bed. Gojyo was all gored and bloody. There was a huge and nasty wound on his side. Judging from his wounds, Gojyo must had fought an army of youkai. But there was another thing that made Hakkai's face 's suffered a delirium and his body shook madly as if he was so cold, yet his body is burning up. Hakkai, being a professional healer after months of experience, put his forefinger on Gojyo's wrist. He counted the hanyou's pulse. It was so slow. Hakkai glanced at Gojyo's chest from the corner of his eyes. The red haired man's chest heaved up and down hastily and his heart beat so loud that they could merely hear it from the outside.

"Hakkai… what happened to him?" Goku looked up to Hakkai, then he followed Hakkai's gaze, back at Gojyo's face. The kappa now started to convulse. He screamed in agony, clutching his head with a deadly grip as he did so. He kicked aimlessly to the air and flailed his arms frantically before his face.

Gojyo moaned and groaned painfully. Again, his arms clutched to his head. He wrapped his head as if it was to explode at any moment and cried for the umpteenth times.

"Oi kappa! Get a hold of it!" Goku cried helplessly. This is the moment he never wished to witness. He always wished for the kappa to suffer but never this much. He hated seeing the kappa like that. Goku clung to Gojyo's hand and the latter locked it tightly in his own. Gojyo was in a lot of pain and they could see it from his face. He clamped his eyes shut, as if fearing they would pop out.

"Hakkai?" Sanzo looked down to Hakkai with a rare flicker of concern showered upon his beautiful face. His tone was relatively solemn. He glanced over Hakkai's shoulder, peeping at the moaning man lying on the put a hand on Gojyo's forehead, felt the burning sensation under his palm and yanked it away. The red haired man had a high fever and his body temperature rose highly.

"He's having a high fever and I just don't know what might caused it" Hakkai explained as he put his hand on Gojyo's wound, healing it with his ki. The wound started to close at instant. There was no inner wound that might caused the worst possibility. But something made Gojyo suffered enormously. It's not the wound… but what?

"Hakkai… what is this?" Goku asked as he revealed a red spot on the back of Gojyo's neck. The red spot was swollen and small. There was a puncture scar on the spot. Hakkai immediately checked the scar. "What is it Hakkai?" Goku looked up to the healer with a curious tone.

"He's being poisoned!" Hakkai announced, rather stunned. Goku and Sanzo's stood bewildered. The look on Hakkai's face made their foreheads wrinkled. Hakkai is a good healer but he is not an expert in mixing any antidote.

"K'so!" Goku hissed beneath his breath. He balled up his fist and slammed it hard to the bed.

'Damn it!' Hakkai rose up from the bedside. He must do something or else Gojyo will die. The poison was fast flooding Gojyo's body system. That hanyou wouldn't stand a chance to live if they do not find the cure before tomorrow's noon.

"Goku… do you have any idea where Gojyo went last night?" Hakkai asked. He needed more information.

"I don't know… but he kept saying something about visiting a place of sweet nightmare while he was out drunk" Goku tried to recall what Gojyo said to him last night, before they fell into their deepest slumber.

Hakkai was perplexed. 'That place!' He glanced down to Gojyo with sympathy. 'So…he did care after all'

Flashback

Hakkai approached Gojyo, who stood before an earth bed muffled of red flowers. He patted the hanyou's shoulder, making the latter yelped at instant.

"Hakkai! Don't you ever do that again…you almost killed me" Gojyo rubbed his chest, trying to calm his fast pumped heart. He looked at Hakkai and frowned to see the man returned his warning with a wide smile. Gojyo turned his gaze back at the flowerbed, which was colored with crimson red.

"You will get killed if you're off alert like this and this is just not you" Hakkai smiled wildly as he spit out his words in a mocking tone.

"This is a place that brings me sweet nightmares… a color matches the color of the blood" Gojyo exclaimed as he threw his gaze away at the red flowers, studying each of the petals and leaves. He snapped a cigarette in between his lips and started to smoke.

"Gojyo…" Hakkai's voice seemed to display great concern.

"Ch!" Gojyo smirked. "Never mind… I don't care about it anyway" he turned around and headed back to the jeep, leaving Hakkai behind.

Hakkai fixed his emerald eyes to the red flowerbed. He knew Gojyo had bitter memories concerning crimson color. He wished he could do something to lessen the pain but he was not able to lessen his own pain.

Hakkai turned around and trailed Gojyo, who was far ahead of him. In the meanwhile, Sanzo and Goku waited for them 'patiently' in jippu. Actually Sanzo's vein had popped out everywhere on his forehead as Goku whined continuously with his favorite line 'harahetta'.

Hakkai and Gojyo fastened their gait at seeing the shoureijuu making its appearance in the open.

End of flashback.

……………………….

Hakkai went to the door and was about to yank it open when Goku called out for him. "Nanda?" he tried smiling to hide his real feelings, but the smile fast disappeared.

"Where are you going?" Goku asked. He was not fond of Hakkai leaving Gojyo like this.

"I have to find the source of the poison" Hakkai explained, glancing at his dying patient lying on the bed.

"And may I ask where you plan to look for it?" Sanzo glared at Hakkai.

"Back to the place where Gojyo went last night" Hakkai pointed a finger up. He grinned widely, making Sanzo groaned with disgust. His smile always managed to bring the same responds from Sanzo and Gojyo. The latter guys were always one heart at giving respond to his 'sincere' smiles.

"I'll go with you" Goku offered his help. He could not stay watching the kappa suffers. He hated it so much.

Hakkai nodded. He did need help in case there is a surprise assault from the youkai which had attacked Gojyo the last night. The dark haired man glanced at the blonde guy standing by Gojyo's bedside. "Then I guess I have to rely on you to look after my patient ne?" Hakkai smiled.

Sanzo looked at Gojyo out of the corner of his amethyst eyes. Gojyo stirred restlessly on the bed, gripping hard at the pillow and the mattress. His body was soaked with cold sweats and blood that had started to dry up.

"Daijoubu da yo… you just need to soak his head to cool down the fever…nothing much to do" Hakkai explained. 'Nothing much to do since his life depend on the cure… there's no use of treating the minor wounds when he had a major problem that threatened his body system'

"Ch!" Sanzo turned around, facing the window and started smoking.

Hakkai smiled. 'Now… that's a cool yes' He looked down to Goku. "Ikkuzo!" he said as he yanked the door opened and ran out from the room. They must be quick.

"Hai!" Goku leapt out of the room and tailed Hakkai to the stairs.

Sanzo turned his head toward the closing door then he gazed at Gojyo."Baka!" he cursed slightly as he walked slowly toward the hanyou. Sanzo drained the water as he rolled the damp cloth after dipping it in the basin. He folded it carefully and put it on Gojyo's forehead. The latter stirred restlessly as the sudden cold on his forehead fought against the fiery heat of his body.

A pathetic cry escaped from the half-breed's mouth. He whined sadly in his deepest slumber. Gojyo clung to the pillow beneath his sweaty head with a deadly grip as he moaned and groaned painfully. He gnashed his teeth and let out soft hollow hiss.

"Wah!!" Gojyo wailed out loud, as he shed tears that came streaming down his bruised cheeks. He clutched his chest and curled up until his knees touched his torso. He screamed out his lungs again and this time he almost lost his breath.

"Shit!!" Sanzo cursed aloud. He put one hand on Gojyo's forehead. Gojyo's temperature kept arousing that it burnt that kappa to his bones. His blood seemed to boil and his crimson eyes looked even more furious as the heat colored it with nasty color of red. Gojyo kept his eyes opened in a matter of a second when he abruptly closed it again and gave way to another loud, agonizing cry to the ceiling. This time he looked terribly tormented by the pain.

"Oi kappa! Hang on in there!" Sanzo held Gojyo's trembling shoulders and shook it with annoyance. He was annoyed at his own inability to help lessened the pain Gojyo was enduring. Without him realizing it, his hand reached out for the kappa's head and caressed it. Amazingly, the half-breed stopped wailing and eased down. Sanzo hunched his shoulder and sighed with relief. He tucked the red headed with a blanket and secured him with it. Sanzo sank back to his chair near the bedside.

"This is the last time I'll be good to you kappa… don't expect more" Sanzo said frigidly. He took away the damp cloth, which he just put on Gojyo's forehead a moment ago and now had all dried up from the burning flame in the kappa's body, and dipped it again in the basin of the icy cold water. He dabbed the damn cloth all over Gojyo's face and then dipped it wet again before putting it back onto the man's forehead.

Even though Gojyo looked a little alleviated, Sanzo knew well that the man was barely surviving. He's dying. 'Hakkai…you better come back with that antidote you were saying' Sanzo leant against the chair and studied the kappa's pale face.

"Ch!" Sanzo snorted and looked face looked pathetic and stupid. The man lying on the bed was hardly a man he recognized and knew three years ago. Gojyo he knew would never let himself got bedridden. No matter how hard it would be, the kappa will always deny a rest.

Like that night of their last encounter with the blonde who identified himself with the name Sanzo; who claimed the maten kyoumou belonged to him. It's the night when they lost for the first time. It was the night where Gojyo stayed awake all night looking after him when at the same time the kappa himself was badly battered and bruised. Sanzo muttered something under his breath and heaved up a deep sigh. "Kono baka ero kappa…" he grumbled softly. He kept staring at the kappa's face and sighed over and over.

The grandfather clock at one corner of the room bellowed as it struck twelve at noon. Sanzo looked at the clock out of the corner of his eyes and then fixed his gaze to Gojyo's trembling body. The kappa seemed to suffer in his slumber.

Sanzo put a cigarette in between his lips when suddenly he was taken aback by Gojyo's condition. The monk quietly shoved the cigarette pack back into his oversized sleeve and leant himself against the chair. "Che…kappa, you owe me one" he whispered as he dozed off into a nap. 'Or did I owe him one?'

"Kanzeon Bosatsu sucked Gojyo's blood to save you" Hakkai's words on several days after he woke up from his coma after the encounter with Shuuei in his monster form floated on his mind. Was it her effort that had saved him or was it his blood?

Suddenly, the groaning man on the bed hollered out aloud and from his wails, it was obvious he's agonized. Tears ran down on both of his cheeks and loud screams came out from in between his pale white lips.

"Shit!" Sanzo cursed in between his breath. He quickly rushed to Gojyo's side and held that man's shoulders with futile efforts to cease his trembles. Gojyo's body burned up to a fiery state that it hurts him to hold on the man's shoulders any longer. The kappa had turned into a living hell. Sanzo yanked his hands away and stood dumbfounded at the bedside, staring down speechless at the man on the bed.

The blonde monk seemed to blank off completely until Gojyo's next cry pricked his ears. There was solace and there was pain in that cry. Sanzo looked at the hanyou's face and suddenly fell downhearted.

'Hakkai…please found the cure…don't come back empty-handed' Sanzo sank onto the bedside. He held out a trembling hand and brushed the sweat on Gojyo's forehead. The man's jaunty crimson locks no longer held upright on his temple but now were plastered to his sweaty face. Gojyo let out another pathetic cry and this time Sanzo made haste of dragging that man away from his pain by shaking his shoulders furiously.

"Gojyo! Snapped out of it kono ero kappa!!" he yelled to the hanyou's face. He knew that it's not the physical pain that tortured the kappa but it was the emotional pain that he bore inside; and Sanzo knew there's nothing he could do to help the kappa lessen his pain. Gojyo could bear any physical pain but he would turn weak at emotional pain.

"Fight the pain!!" Sanzo urged as he slapped Gojyo's face in order to make the kappa snapped out of his delirium and fight him back. But he got no respond; except a painful groan and moan that escaped from the man's lips.

"K'so!" Sanzo swore when Gojyo howled for the umpteenth times; this time along with a cough that contained fresh blood. He coughed violently and blood splattered all over his body and the bed sheet. Pungent smell struck Sanzo's nose. The blood almost smelled like cooper. He swept the tiny drops of the crimson liquid dotting his face red with the back of his arms. Sanzo hastily took a damp cloth and wiped the blood on Gojyo's mouth.

The half-breed man finally ceased screaming but he's sobbing instead. He curled up his legs and gathered his knees before his chest and hugged his shoulders tightly. The physical pain seemed to alleviate but the emotional pain looked as if it growing and not going to stop. Gojyo sobbed like a helpless child as he curled up on the bloody bed. His chest heaved up and down hastily and he panted tremendously. Gojyo tried to catch up with his breath that he turned terribly exhausted.

Sanzo let out a relieved breath. He pulled up a blanket and muffled the man with it. Without him realizing it, a hand went up to Gojyo's temple and softly caressed it. The man below sighed and ceased the solemn sobs.

"_Don't cry will ya…? I'm here…your brother is here with you_" He could hear the voice that he always longed for. He always heard it since three months ago but he missed the voice uttering the words and he missed the affection when the owner of the voice gathered his small and slender body into his cradle and hummed him to sleep.

"Jien…" the word slipped out his trembling lips before he fell into his deepest slumber.

Sanzo sighed and turned away from Gojyo. He anchored his head with his hands that stood on his knees. 'Please make them come…' he uttered quietly in his heart. He never wished to see that ikkou… but if it could help lessened the pain Gojyo had torturing him inside and save him from attending to the sick man's need, he desperately hoped for the ikkou to scamper into the inn and demanded for the sutra. ……………………………..

"Jien…"

The bold youkai in a white long suit turned around and scanned the area. His stroll in the forest was disturbed by soft whispers of the wind that seemed to carry a sad message. His heart raced enormously when a strange thought struck his mind.

"O-nii-chan…"

The wind blew again and brushed his face softly. The scenery around him seemed to lie out dead. The birds ceased their chirps and the monkeys stopped gibbering. Only the wind kept on blowing sad tones. "Gojyo?" Dokugakuji halted at his last pace and clamped.

To be continued…


	2. The Wind and the Flower

Brotherly Love!

Chapter 2

"Gojyo?" Dokugakuji halted at his last pace and clamped.

The sturdy youkai stood silently and gulped. He looked up to the sky. Some heavy clouds veiled the dimmed sun, shading the land beneath. Some rays of light struggled really hard and managed to penetrate the thick clouds and showered the earth with faint gleams.

He looked back to the ground; lifting his face he studied everything around , a blur image of a kid and a young man appeared in front of him. The kid sat on a rock, pleading the young man to stop dabbing the iodine on his scraped knee and his bruised skinny body. The image became clearer at each time. It was him. It was Gojyo.

"_Jien_…" the wind blew again, so soft yet so frail.

"Jien… onegai… Yameru kudasai" the little kid pleaded him with a puppy look. His ruby eyes stared down at him with dreary look even though it was certain that no tears would ever be shed. "You're hurting me" the moaning boy of four wiped his stained face with the back of his arm.

He looked up to his little brother with sympathy but then his expression changed abruptly as the boy's eyes fixed down to his face again; with the same pleading look. His worried face now had changed to a mocking expression. He slapped the boy's bandaged knee, hard.

The crimson haired boy yelped in agony. Rubbing his knee, know bandaged with a shattered piece of cloth, he stuck out his puny tongue to him. A curse slipped out of the half-breed kid's mouth and he immediately bit his tongue when the elder youkai cast him a deadly glare. The young one cupped his mouth with one palm and shook his head frantically.

The elder youkai shook his head. His ponytail swayed as he did so. A thin curl appeared on his lips.

"You're such a kid…" He mocked as ruffled the boy's hair heartily.

"Mou…" his little brother smacked his hand away, refusing of having to be treated as a baby brother. The bruised little face pouted at him. He could not help himself not to feel sorry for the boy when his eyes met the bruised cheek and the bleeding lips of the young man.

This time the blows struck really hard that the little hanyou's lips were grazed opened, pouring out a thin trickle of crimson liquid that matched the color of his hair when he found him cowering at the edge of his room about an hour ago. His hair was a mess; his sleeveless shirt was torn apart, revealing a badly bruised shoulder; crimson locks were plastered to his forehead with blood; and scratches marked everywhere on his slender arms.

A bat reclined on the floor, as bloody as he had expected to be. The kid backed away with fear as he reached out a hand and he was trembling furiously by the time he gathered him in his arms and reassured him with soft words and assurance. The little guy didn't make a sound when he caressed his drenched hair and patted his bumpy head. He didn't even shed a single tear, only moaning and groaning with fret and agony.

"Jien…" the kid called out, wiping all the images away from his head.

"Nanda?" he asked as he descended to the ground, stretching out his legs and lied on the dusty land beneath the green grass. Crossing his arms under his head, he looked up to the birds, spreading their wings, hovering up and away on the wide blue sky, twitting and chirping to the glorious shining smiled as the little hanyou crept down and crawled all the way to his side.

The little lad mounted his torso and looked down to his face. The toddler's crimson locks draped over his face, soft and delicate. The ruby eyes of his blinked innocently. His little brother sank his face to his broad shoulder, lying helplessly on his torso and wrapped his skinny tiny arms around his neck.

"Gojyo?" it's not the little guy's typical mood to be so silky soft like what he's doing right now.

"Jien… I'm tired…" the words came out frail from the boy's mouth. "Please don't leave me" he added, nuzzling his shoulder like a baby nestling in his mother's cradle, seeking for comfort and protection. A soft rare sob emerged from the kid's voice.

Jien was let disheartened at the words. He enclosed the little boy's tiny body in the most protective arms he could offer and whispered to his ears. "I will not leave you ever… if I ever did, when you need me, just call out my name and I'll be there for you" he assured as his fingers ran through the silky smooth crimson hair. The boy stirred and nodded, yet the sob didn't cease.

"Don't cry will ya…? I'm here… your brother is here with you" The wind blew softly, coating the two lying figures with cold comforting silence.

The images of the young man with the little hanyou on his chest faded away slowly as the wind blew again, carrying the same sad message.

"Jien…" the voice called out for him, fragile and delicate.

Dokugakuji's heart raced and his blood pumped viciously, freezing his veins down to his feet. The image of the little hanyou; looking down to his face, nuzzling his shoulder, making him promised that he's going to be around; appeared in his mind. The little boy faded away slowly and was replaced by the image of an elder hanyou, all gored and bloody, gesturing for him to come closer.

"Gojyo?" he reached out one hand. As soon as his hand touched the hanyou's, the image faded; swept away by the arousing wind. Doku dumbfounded. He blinked several times and then regained his consciousness, so much to be aware of what had happened.

"Damn!" he cursed silently as he stepped out and made his way through the wood, running with a lightning speed, crushing the dry leaves under his stomping feet, smacking away thorny bushes, to the direction of where his heart is taking him.

………………………………….

Hakkai glanced around, scanning the area with his most sensitive gift of sight. A bed of red flowers stretched out wide before him, as far as the eyes could see. He was back at where they had stopped for lunch yesterday, at where Gojyo had come last night. His emerald eyes rolled all around the area and lastly dropped to his feet. Hakkai hunched his shoulders and sighed with turned his head and looked over his shoulder, to the young itan who have being sniffing around with his truly sensitive nose. "Goku, anything?" he asked, with hope.

The latter looked up to him and shook his head. Hakkai heaved in a deep breath and let it out slowly, almost a groan. They had wandered around the area for any luck, but they got nothing in result. There was a sign of bloodshed in the area since the stench of blood, mixing of youkai's and human's, was too strong and pungent. On one side of the red meadow, a flowerbed being crushed and flattened to earth, with blots of dried blood stained everywhere on the ground; but no sign of anything that might have poisoned Gojyo.

'Who had fought Gojyo and for what reason?' Hakkai was left to wonder. One thing he was sure of, the assailant was neither from the Kougaiji-ikkou nor the Homura-tachi. Homura got no reason to attack Gojyo since the kami-sama only interested in Sanzo's sutra and Goku's strength. Kougaiji-ikkou? Doku-san would not fight Gojyo seriously and left him dying like he is right now. Gojyo and Dokugakuji always avoided killing each other every time they fought. They never fought seriously.

'Then…who would really determine to kill Gojyo?' Hakkai shook his head, shoving the thought away. He got a lot to think of right now and thinking about unanswered questions made his head spun.

"Gojyo won't die right?" the voice came from his side, striking him like lightning in a calm night. Hakkai looked to his side. A brown spiky hair was at his shoulders' height. He looked down to the itan's face.

"Goku?" Goku looked up to him and smiled a faintly. It's not typical of the young itan to smile like that. The usual Goku would have them adoring his wide grin and his merry smile when they're down. The usual Goku would have them surrendering to his puppy look and rounded eyes.

Hakkai smiled the most reassuring smile he could ever afford to display on his lips. An arm was reached and it wrapped around the itan's shoulder. He dragged Goku closer to him and brushed his head with one knuckle, the way Gojyo would always do every time the kid was down. Goku let out a slight laugh, once and then he turned dumb. Hakkai chuckled nervously. He could not do it as good as Gojyo. Gojyo would have done it better at making the kid rose up once again. If it had been Gojyo at his place, rubbing the kid's head with a knuckle, Goku would have fumed at instant and strike back.

"Iie… we will not let him die" Hakkai answered the last question that was left unanswered a moment ago.

"We will found the antidote won't we?" Goku kept asking with a pathetic tone. His eyes turned teary. Hakkai understood why. The kid feared of losing the man that made him feels like a kid, the man who had always treated him like a child even though he was a being of 500 years old, the man who made him thinks that he will never be left to live alone.

The bickering, the quarrellings, the arguing, the teeth and nails fight; all that determined how much Goku and Gojyo clung to each other. They might look harmful upon each other but neither any of them could ever survive a day with blissful hours of peace and serenity.

"We will" He answered, later than his spontaneous nature. Hakkai was unsure, not of the answers; for he has none; but the decision of whether to lie or to say the truth. He lied. After all that what he always did in his life as Cho Hakkai.

"If something ever happen to Gojyo…" Hakkai looked down to the son of earth next to him. The last word from the kid's mouth had had him shocked. Goku rarely addressed the tallest man in the ikkou with the name Gojyo, unless he's too worried. It looked like Goku was worried like hell.

"I will kill his assailant mercilessly" Goku continued, curling his fist into a ball as he said so. His knuckle turned white pale as he clenched his fist tight and soon turned crimson red as he slammed it hard to the horse-chestnut bark. A strange color of fume tinted his chubby cheeks.

"Eek!!" As soon as his fist banged to the bark, a helpless yelp was heard, from on top of the great horse-chestnut tree. Goku and Hakkai were astounded. They looked up to the branches, to the curling figure perching on it. The figure looked down to them with a pair of rounded eyes, anxious and dreary. His sharp-pointed ears straightened in alert. His mouth… there was something in his mouth, a bamboo shoot, and it's pointing towards Goku. The little tree youkai took a deep breath and blew out a dart from the bamboo shoot, dashing to Goku's direction.

"Goku!!" Hakkai shouted in alarm.

Goku's eyes bewildered. He leapt just in time, before the dart could penetrate his skull. The dart lost its target and penetrated the earth, coloring the spot where the sharp needle was stuck with a blot of black stain, that turned the green color of the grass to a dead black.

'It's poisonous!' Hakkai looked up to the youkai boy. The kid made his runaway by leaping away from the branch and perched on another branch of a nearest tree. Judging from the swift movement of the youkai as he swung from a tree to another, he's probably a tree youkai.

"Matte kono yarou!!" Goku was enraged. It didn't take long for him to figure out that the youkai probably the one who had poisoned Gojyo. He jumped up and perched on the branch of the chestnut tree, and then bounded from trees to trees, trailing the youkai with the same speed.

"Goku!" Hakkai called out. But it was too late, Goku was on his way to capture the youkai and there's no way he's going to stop halfway through. 'Darn!' Hakkai turned around abruptly and dashed toward jippu. He leapt in the driver's seat and switched on the ignition. "Harkuryu… ikkuzo!" he ordered.

"Kyu!!" the alarming coo aroused from somewhere under the hood. The engine roared and after a desperate push on the accelerator pedal, the jeep zoomed into the woods, fretting away the dormant beings in it.

…………………………

Sanzo opened his eyes and cursed; shaking himself away from the nap he did not wished to take. He looked at the sick man on the bed and sighed with relief, as he sensed no tragic changes on the man's condition. Gojyo's still sleeping even though restlessly. The hanyou seemed to be tormented even in his sleep. He kept whining helplessly in his torturing slumber.

By the time Sanzo rose up to his feet and headed for the door, intending to leave the room from the badly need of nicotine, Gojyo had suddenly turned on his side. The half-breed opened his eyes and stared at the empty wall next to the door, where Sanzo fairly stood. Sanzo cancelled his intention to walk out of the room and changed his pace, moving towards Gojyo. A sense of relief filled his heart. 'That kappa will live after all'

But suddenly, the crossbreed son of a youkai and a human screamed out loud and jerked up into a sitting position. His body quivered violently as he stared at Sanzo with rounded fiery red orbs. The orbs were blazing, red with heat. They were not staring at Sanzo, but something at his back.

"Oi kappa!" Sanzo shouted, more of concern than of anger. He quickened his gait but the hanyou started to back away, and stumbled down to the floor with a loud thump. Sanzo bewildered. "Gojyo!" and he dashed toward the mentioned man.

Gojyo looked up to Sanzo with fret, with agony. He kept backing away until his back made contact with the wooden planks of the wall. Sanzo moved toward Gojyo, reaching out a hand as he did so.

……………………..

She reached out a hand and yanked his hair. She kept pounding on his skull with no intention to stop. She punched his face, she kicked his gut and she banged on his head.

"You're a disgraced, a dirty blood… you supposed to die" she screamed as tears ran down her bony cheeks. The curling locks were drenched with the mixing of sweats, tears and blood. His blood. The bat was brought down to his head and he screamed.

…………………………….

"No… kaasan…onegai…yamete!!" a yelp slipped out of Gojyo's trembling lips. He wrapped his arms around his head and ducked.

'Kaasan?' Sanzo halted. He looked down to Gojyo. A strange feeling of sympathy aroused from deep of his cold heart for the man below. The blond monk sank to his knees and kneeled in front of the cowering Gojyo. A hand was reached out and it moved toward the red headed shaking shoulder.

"Gojyo…" Sanzo called. The hand patted the shoulder. No respond. The trembles had lessened. Sanzo heaved a deep breath and sighed with relief. Suddenly, the red haired man jerked toward him and flung his arms around his shoulders. The man wept on his shoulders, whining quietly beneath his shallow breath. Sanzo almost stumble on his back as Gojyo's weight bumped on him by surprise. Less he expected that the man would do that.

Sanzo gained his balance and stood dumbfounded, not sure of what to do; either to whack the kappa's head or to caress it instead. He raised one hand and it moved toward Gojyo's head. Instead of bringing it down with tremendous speed and knocked the weeping man senseless, it landed softly on Gojyo's head, patting it reassuringly.

Gojyo ceased weeping after a full couple of minutes. He pulled himself away from Sanzo's torso and hung his head low."Have you had enough?" Sanzo asked coldly, more of a pretender. No answer from the hanyou. Sanzo grunted.

He sled his hand under Gojyo's skinny arm and yanked the man up in one single pull, strong yet so full of care. He placed Gojyo's arm around his shoulder and one of his hand was wrapped the hanyou's waist, supporting him from falling. Sanzo crouched Gojyo to his bed, coaxing the half-breed from one step after another.

"Sanzo…?" out of the blue, the man he's crouching finally said something after hours of screaming and whining and crying. Sanzo replied with a harsh humph.

Gojyo laughed slightly and then coughed fiercely. "Don't get too excited kappa… or you'll be taking your last breath at instant" Sanzo frowned. He didn't even lookat the hanyou's face.

Gojyo smiled quietly. "Sanzo…?" he called out again as he's dozing off into another stream of oblivion. His knees are turning into jelly.

Sanzo could feel Gojyo getting heavier. The monk turned his head to the hanyou. Gojyo was declining to the floor. "Oi kappa! Snapped out of it!" he pulled the man to his feet.

Gojyo opened his lids slightly and smiled. Sanzo groaned. The smile was not usual. He studied the kappa's face. Gojyo's face had become terribly pale. His forehead formed beads of sweats and his dead blue lips trembled furiously. His fiery red eyes gloomed and the lids were descending, bit by bit. "Sanzo… I don't think I can hold this anymore…" and with that, his arm sled away from Sanzo's shoulders and he sank on his knees.

"K'so!" Sanzo cursed alarmingly. He grabbed Gojyo's falling body and wrapped his arms around the man's waist. His sudden act of a savior made the falling man's body weighed on his own instead of descended to the wooden floor. 'Shoot!' Sanzo could not feel the heartbeat of the hanyou wrapped in his arms and whom he's hugging beating upon his torso. He could not feel the pulse from the man's chest. "Darn!!"

Sanzo quickly laid Gojyo on the bed and studied the man's face. Gojyo was not breathing. 'Shit!'

"Damn it Gojyo! Don't you dare die on me!!" Sanzo sank to Gojyo's side and smacked that red headed face continuously. No respond. Gojyo just lied out cold. "Gojyo! Kono ero kappa!!" Sanzo screamed, and at the same time, the door was slammed opened.

He had his hands gripping Gojyo's shoulders and his eyes fixed to the door. Sanzo stammered.

To be continue…


	3. Blood is red

**Chapter 3**

He had his hands gripping Gojyo's shoulders and his eyes fixed to the door. Sanzo stammered. His eyes widened with disbelief as his gaze fell upon the sturdy figure stood by the door. He rose up to his feet, standing protectively before the wounded man on the bed. The shoureijuu was held up before him, pointing the nuzzle sharply at the direction of the door. He cocked the hammer and was ready to pull the trigger.

"Shi-ne!!" the shoureijuu blasted along with his warning. The bullet dashed towards the uninvited guest. Five bullets being blasted in a row and they eliminated five youkais altogether. The number of the war-liked youkais kept increasing and Sanzo had run out of bullets. He slammed a new barrel of bullets into the gun and shot continuously. He kept shooting the advancing enemies and at the same time keeping his eyes on Gojyo's progress. The kappa hadn't start breathing. 'Shit! Why does it have to be now?' he cursed as he turned another youkai into black dust as he discharged another bullet into the youkai's way.

"Gojyo! Wake up kono ero kappa!" Sanzo shouted back. "Don't lie down there and die you baka!!" Sanzo leapt up onto the bed and shook Gojyo's body. The hanyou didn't move a bit, much to Sanzo's annoyance. He slapped the dying man's face hard. No respond. 'K'so!'

Sanzo reloaded his gun and kept on shooting. 'Ch! These guys don't know the right time to fight'. The high-ranked monk cursed silently as he blasted of a pair of bullets to a pair of darting youkais. Sanzo towered over Gojyo, protecting the hanyou with his own body.

Out of the blue, the advancing youkais turned to dust, one by one and it was accompanied by a swooshing sound in the air. The war-liked youkais disappeared bit by bit, as if they were swept away by a blizzard. Sanzo gaped at the sight but he managed to regain consciousness and shot the last remaining youkai. The room was back to normal, but now with three beings in it. One was the blonde, one was the wounded man and another one was someone the latter two had hoped that he would come. Sanzo was relieved but he didn't let go off guard. The shoureijuu was still firm in his grip.

The violet eyes stared cautiously at the well-built youkai in the long white suit, as the latter returned his gaze with a faint greet. "Genjou Sanzo"

Sanzo flinched at hearing his name being mentioned. The air was stiffed and still. No sound except for their breathing, minus the one lying on the bed. The windows flapped noisily as the wind blew hard into the room. The door was slammed closed by the arousing wind and the air was dead again.

"Dokugakuji…" the monk replied.

……………….

It was cold, so damn cold. He embraced his body to lessen the shivers. Yet, the feeling was so comforting. He did not want to wake up, fearing that the comfort would go away. His body tensed and his tendons stiffened. The comfort changed into a sharp throbbing pain in his head. The pain spread throughout his muscles via his veins and arteries. His blood seemed to freeze and blot.

He snapped his eyes opened as the pain choked him by the throat. Gojyo rose up in a sitting position, panting and gasping desperately for air. Beads of glittering sweats appeared on his blazing face. The heat burned him to his bone. He heaved up a deep breath and started to breathe normally again. The pace of his heartbeats was back to normal.

Gojyo looked around. 'Weird, I never remember being here?' He was in the middle of a meadow and red beds of daisies, as high as his waist, surrounded him. 'Damn it! Where's the hell I am? Where's the bouzu?' The bed of red daisies stretched out as far as the eyes could see. It disappeared in the horizon, right at the feet of the blue sky. Patches of clouds embedded the clear blue sky. The wind blew softly, slapping his face by the cheeks.

"Oi! Bouzu?!" Gojyo scrambled to his feet. Supporting on his hips, he fought the demanding desire to just lie down and continue sleeping. He had to get up somehow, and he had no other choice than doing it the hard way. The urge to surrender to his desire was so strong that he fell back on one knee. He pushed himself up on one hand and staggered on his feet. Quivering frantically, he glanced around him. His body shook tremendously and something seemed to burst from inside him. The red flowers reminded him of a long but not forgotten memory.

"_Kasaan…Kaasan…look what the florist gives to you" the child happily handed his mother a bouquet of red daisies. He looked up to her with a wide grin and eyes of an innocent child of eight. _

_Golden rays of light penetrated the broken window and showered the two beings inside the room. The great orb was descending in the west, and the faint lights that remained promised a short moment of life to the retiring beings._

_The mother's lips curled slightly. Her sharp glare was spilt on the young boy's face and she studied the red flowers that he was holding up to her face. The child beamed at the motherly expression of the female youkai. His heart expanded at seeing the mother reached out both hands for his offering. The smile got even wider. He waited for at least a compliment. "It's beautiful…" a warm smile was displayed on the lady's face as she took the flowers in her hand. But then, through the shattered glass of the broken window, a harsh wind dashed into the room, sweeping away the warm smile and changed it into a scorn. She laughed heartily and torn the flowers into shattering petals. _

"_So beautiful like the color of the dirty blood that ran in your veins!" she hollered and started to sob. _

_The child's eyes widened with fret. The cherish smile he had upon his face immediately turned into a frightened gawk. He backed away a few steps when the towering mother tossed the torn plants away and glared down to him with tears streaming down her face. _

"_You're dirt! You're a devil!! You sonofabitch!!" the hollers came along with a furious pounding on the child's head. He covered his face with his skinny arms and pled her to stop. Outside, the golden rays were vanishing and darkness emerged._

"_Kaasan! Yamete onegaii…" the child yelped helplessly, but he made no effort to fight back. He just forfeited to the pounding and hoped to die, if that would cease the tears on his kaasan's face. The pain was so real that he felt his head could burst anytime now. He let the woman pounded on his head and tugged on his hair, the taboo mark that inflicted him with the worst nightmare and forever it will remain. The child willingly made himself a living punch bag, just to please the mad mother._

"_You should have die!" the mother scolded him but she cried, as if she was in a deep sorrow. The tears didn't leave her slender face. "Why don't you die!?" she asked as she kept on banging the poor kid's head. _

"_Okasaan!" the banging stopped when a young lad burst into the room and pulled the mother away from the child. He held the wailing woman in his arms, but his gaze fell upon the child's bruised face. "Yamette!" he urged her and hugged the mother tight._

"_Jien…I loved only you, Jien!" she wailed out softly as she buried her face to his torso. _

_The young lad looked down to his little brother. "Gojyo, go into your room and stay there!" he ordered and then half-dragged his mother into another room, eyes still fixed on the child's absentminded look. _

_The child watched helplessly as the young lad and the mother withdrew into the room, leaving him all alone in the dead darkened room. _

………………………

"_You should have die!"_ the voice rang in his ears. He clung to his head and shook it frantically. Gojyo looked around. Slowly, the sight of the red meadow vanished and was replaced by a sight of a big red pool; a big pool of blood. He gaped with fear and looked down to his feet. The red blossoms vanished away slowly and crimson liquid started to rise to his knee level. Gojyo leapt away, avoiding himself from getting soaked. Yet, he stumbled and landed on his back. Crimson liquid splattered and splashed all over his body. He was drenched up with blood.

"Whoa-!!" came out the cry, loud and thunderous. The frail wind turned into a hurricane, grumbling and roaring fiercely as it swept the pool of blood. It brought together shattered red petals. The red pool disappeared and he floated in a cyclone, twisting and turning, and suddenly landed onto something hard.

"Gah-!"

Gojyo coughed out loud, making Sanzo and Doku scampered to his side. The hanyou jerked up from his sleep, coughing out fresh blood and gasping for air. There's no sign that he was awake even though his eyes were wide opened. Sheer empty was displayed in his eyes, no trace of consciousness.

"Gojyo!" Doku sank to Gojyo's bedside. He wrapped one arm around Gojyo's back and supported his brother's limp form. The half-breed brother of his ceased coughing a moment later but it was followed by a violent convulsion. He cried out loud as his red eyes rolled back and showed the white part.

"He's losing it again!" Sanzo declared as he checked the pulse on Gojyo's wrist. Sharp attention that he paid while Hakkai attended to his wounds during three months back made him an amateur in medical field. He was not interested in practicing medical skills but he would never let Goku and Gojyo to attend to his injuries when Hakkai was not around – _the bakas are going to make the injuries worse._

"K'so!" Doku cursed fumingly. He snapped Gojyo's neck with his forefingers and locked a certain vein. Gojyo stopped convulsing and fell limply into Doku's cradle. He had lost his consciousness but in a more pleasing manner. Another violent convulse on his already feeble body would cause a severe damage to a certain part of the brain, and he might ended up paralyzed for his entire life.

Sanzo sighed with relief. It's not a very pleasing way of coming back from the death, but at least he had started breathing again. He watched attentively as Doku laid Gojyo down to the bed. Gojyo seemed to rest peacefully even though there's a trace of nightmare on his pale face. The death look was clear.

Doku looked down to Gojyo's face. The face of the disabled man seemed so familiar to him. Emotionless, empty and cold were the looks that once conquered the innocent face of a young child under his protection. The looks of pure helpless being which had willingly surrender to their rival, even if it was death. Doku never liked it, even now.

"How do you know?" Sanzo evoked a conversation, which sounded more like an interrogation. The shoureijuu was lowered down to his side but it never left his hand. Brother or not, he had to protect the one who needed it, even though he doubted that Gojyo would need his protection from his flesh and blood brother.

"He called me" Doku answered, calmly. '_He did called me'_

The answer didn't make any sense to him but Sanzo didn't give a damn to ask for explanation. It's better that way. Those emotional thingy didn't suit him very well.

"What happened?"

He knew that the monk wouldn't bother to answer. If Hakkai was in the monk's place, he could expect for a complete explanation but this was the monk, and not Hakkai. The monk possessed less effective communication skill than the healer. The answer that he could expect from the bouzu would probably be a cold empty glare.

"This stupid brother of yours went out looking for trouble" Sanzo replied, as cold as usual. He never favored the task of explaining things. Hakkai always did it best, so why bother? '_Now that's a progress'_.

"Yeah! He is a real fool… always at the wrong place at the wrong time" Doku admitted. He would probably poked Gojyo's head if he wasn't weak enough. He looked down to Gojyo's face. '_He was poisoned and now he's dying_'. Doku scanned the room. He could not find the other two. '_Okay… the healer and the saru went out looking for the cure, leaving this brat with a spoiled monk_'

"What's with the youkais just now?" Doku asked again. He came in just in time. It's a wonder though, on how his feet took him to the inn, right where the ikkou had checked in the day before.

"Ask him" Sanzo pointed his chin to Gojyo.

Doku gave up. It's better for him to just shut up and wondered for the answers by himself than getting it from the monk. All that he got were tangles in his already messed up mind.

Sanzo retreated to his bed. He perched on Gojyo's bedside and propping his elbows on his knees, Sanzo studied the limp figure lying on the bed. '_Now you've got what you want… wake up and say something you kappa_'

Doku stared at Sanzo. He followed the monk's gaze which fell onto Gojyo. "You two are not into any relation aren't you?" he asked, suspiciously.

"BANG!!" the shoureijuu blasted, sending a bullet darting toward Doku's head.

The silvery bullet missed the target by mere of an inch and made a hole out of the wooden plank at the back of Dokugakuji's head. Doku sweat dropped. He got the message.

…………………….

The green jeep zoomed through the lush forest, crashing thick thorny bushes on its way through. It was a real bumpy ride for the driver but he was used to it. Hakkai looked up to the forest canopy. The woods quivered with frightened beings and the two figures leaping and swinging from tree to tree. A strange whirling wind shook the leaves and the forest seemed to experience fall. He stepped on the accelerator and picked up the speed.

"Kyu!" Harkuryuu knew what he supposed to do. He was used to the desperate attempt of his master. It was countless time of when his master urged him to move faster, mostly for the need to save the life of a certain injured monk, a badly wounded monkey or a dying hanyou, or even his own.

"Gomen ne Harkuryuu? I know this is too much for you… but we need to save Gojyo before it's too late" Hakkai patted the steering wheel. He knew how hard it would be being the only transportation in the group. It was as much work as being the only healer and peacekeeper in the ikkou. You always did most of the work.

"Kyu kyu!!" the now-a-jeep dragon cooed reassuringly, not wanting to raise any doubt on his ability from the green-eyed master of his. All these years, he surrendered himself to the noble heart of his master and he devoted all his life to the man, there was no way he's going to turn back from his vow now. Hakkai had done so much. Being a very rare species, he had none like him to turn to, but the emerald-eyed man had provided him all the affection and love he had ever wished from his kind. The catalyst of all reason on why he still remained with the ikkou though they almost broke him up into pieces everytime they fought; he enjoyed being the ikkou's pet. The love they had towards each other, even though sometime could be very fury, affected him by his heart. Well, not many people knew this, but dragons too have a heart.

Hakkai smiled. He wished he knew the precise meaning of every coos of his unique companion. Sometime Harkuryuu could be pretty complex, just like Goku. Both of the beings, under the protection of Mother Earth, resembled to each other in a very special way. Both were longing for compassion and love, so innocent yet so strong.

"THWACK!!" the loud thwacking sound outlasted the roar of the arousing hurricane. Things seemed to fall apart and what Hakkai could see as he lifted his gaze to the quivering canopy was Goku pounding his nyibou on the little youkai's head. The nyibou had extended, longer than the normal length and it hit the target on where it was intended.

The little tree youkai yelped with pain as the almighty staff of heaven made contact with his head. His hands slipped off the branches and he lost his balance. Before anything could be done, he fell from the tree and landed with a loud thump onto the hard hilly ground, somewhere in the thorny bushes of wild roses.

Hakkai stepped on the gas pedal and sped his way to the landing mark. He stepped on the brake and thundering screeching sound pierced the air as the tires screeched with the dry land beneath. Smokes and dust aroused into their sight, providing blurry effect that limited the distance of their view. The emerald-eyed man coughed slightly as he disembarked the jeep and scurried to the wild rose's bush, where the little youkai had landed horribly. The dust and the smokes had descended to the ground and Hakkai could see few shattered petals of the wild roses scattering the area. He peeked into the bushes and frowned at seeing the immobilized being nesting inside it; all grazed and bruised.

The kid hissed at his face but he cried helplessly as the thorns pricked his skin. Struggling to fight the slicing pain, he kept growling at Hakkai, like a wounded beast trying to protect himself from harm.

"THUD!"

Goku landed next to Hakkai, nyiboi was back to its normal length, though it was as deadliest as it was when it extended. "Is he dead?" he asked, as he brushed off the leaves that stuck to his spiky brown hair.

"Apparently not…" Hakkai replied as he reached one hand into the bushes, avoiding as much thorns as possible. He tried reaching to the youkai but the kid backed away deeper into the bushes, and at the same time hissing painfully as his skin was scrapped away bloody due to constant rubs with the thorns. He groaned in agony but successfully avoiding any contact with the reaching hand.

Hakkai shrugged, more of sympathy than of rage. He crept in further into the bushes and now reaching in both hands, he grabbed the flinching youkai by the waist and yanked him out in one single pull. Both of them, Hakkai and the chibi youkai were tossed into the air by the momentum and crashed heavily on the earth, with Hakkai underneath and the youkai on top. They almost looked like a fine young lad hugging his little brother.

"Hakkai!" Goku cried in alarm. He scuttled to Hakkai's side and yanked the youkai away from Hakkai's torso. He held the kid's wrist firm in his one fierce grip and hauled Hakkai to his feet with another secured grip. "Daijoubu desuka?" he asked, struggling fiercely to keep his grasp on the grappling youkai.

"Dai jou bu da" Hakkai swept the dust plastered to his green shirt. His gaze fell down on the little tree youkai, who looked up to him with teary eyes. He pled for freedom by flashing Hakkai an adorned puppy look and slightly pathetic whimpers.

Hakkai shook the emphatic feeling away. He needed the cure for his dying companion, not anything or anyone that could delay the rescue attempt; make it a wounded little youkai. Little? He looked down to the whimpering little one. The tree youkai hissed in pain, whining sadly as he clutched to his ribs that poured large amount of blood that soaked one side of his skinny body. He must have been inflicted with the wound when he crashed onto the branches on his way down to the ground. Tears streamed down his scrapped cheeks as he clung to his wound, desperately trying to hold back the outstanding pain.

The little youkai fell down to his knees, couldn't hold the pain any longer. Even Goku had loosened his grip on the latter's wrist, being rather pitiful for his agony. Their feeble rival was a lot smaller than him and it was possible that his age barely reached five years old.

"Daijoubu desuka?" Hakkai knelt before the agonizing one. One comforting hand patted the boy's shoulder warmly. The little one gazed up at instant, as he sensed no hatred in the man's voice. He blushed; ashamed at being treated so well by his own enemy. He dropped his gaze from sweeping the emerald-eyed man's face.

Hakkai didn't have to wait for the respond. He gathered his chi, combining both yin and yang of his soul, letting the magnetic energy from inside his vein to drag the neurons and the ki to his right palm, and lastly, completing the errand by collecting the source of the nature around him to form a luminous green beam that illuminated his hand in between the long slim fingers. He put the glowing palm onto the little youkai's ribs and healed the wound after a comforting flesh contact.

The little youkai gaped with fear as Hakkai put on work on healing him, but the feeling was so comfortable. The beam that glowed in between the elder man's fingers seemed to penetrate into his skin and warmed his blood. The beam acted as if it was spreading inside his bloodstream and distributed the warm feeling thoroughly as it went on its way throughout his whole anatomy. However, when the man's hand touched the bump on his head, he flinched and intensely grabbed the man's arm, clutching to it like a terrified child clinging to his mother's hand.

Hakkai's eyed him soothingly at seeing the pain that the little one had to bear. Even Goku started to feel sorry for smashing the nyibou down to the boy's head. He wasn't thinking at that time. All he was thinking of was Gojyo's dying condition. The rage that emerged as soon as he realized that the little youkai could be the one who had poisoned Gojyo, made him completely forgotten of the fact that the enemy was only a child. "Do you think he's the one who had poisoned Gojyo?" Goku bent down on his knees, supporting his hands on his hips and looked down to the whimpering boy. The boy looked up to him with dreary eyes and trembling lips, seeming to plead him not to hurt him anymore. '_Ch! Now I know how Sanzo must have felt when I gave him that pathetic look_'

Hakkai remained silent. He waited for the question to be answered by the right owner. The kid stirred restlessly and lastly bowed with shame.

"I did" he admitted as he clasped his hands together and rubbed them continuously.

"Why?" suddenly Goku felt his compassion for the little one disappeared and was replaced by another stream of fume. The criminal must get the punishment for the crime he had committed. Nyibou started to appear in sight. The tree youkai gawked with fret at seeing the nyibou.

"Matte Goku!" Hakkai stopped Goku from calling the mighty nyibou into good use. "Talk little one and we'll spare you" he said. He had the urging feeling that the kid knew nothing that had happened. There was someone else responsible for the crime that he had carried out.

"They made me do it…"

Bingo! Hakkai's wild guess turned into a jackpot. "Why?" he demanded for more information.

"They held my oniichan in captivity" the little one explained, followed by soft sobs, which ended with pathetic wails.

Hakkai and Goku exchanged glances. 'K'so!' Now they were trapped!

To be continue…


	4. The empty space and nothing

Chapter 4

"They held my oniichan in captivity" the little one explained, followed by soft sobs, which ended with pathetic wails.

Hakkai and Goku exchanged glances. '_K'so!' Now they are trapped!'_

"Who are they?" Hakkai knelt before the little youkai; one hand patting the latter's shoulder. The kid however flinched with pain as his hand landed on his shoulder. The chibi youkai hissed alarmingly and backed away. His eyes brimmed with shimmering crystal clear tears.

Hakkai sighed. If they were going to approach him, they have to make it slow and easy. Youkai or not, their enemy was still too little to be treated violently. Moreover, despite of the poisonous dagger that he owned, the little youkai looked obviously harmless. The man with the monocle raised his eyes and gazed at the little youkai. Slowly, his lips curled and he ended up smiling warmly. His smile, like usual, worked on comforting the little one. Everyone could fall for Hakkai's smile and the young youkai was not excused. His breathless sobs had slowed down to faint whimpers.

"What's your name?" the voice came out soft and tender, more to please than to threaten. Hakkai's emerald eyes met with the little youkai's gray.

The kid ceased whimpering and looked up to Hakkai's face. After a moment of studying the elder man's face, he turned his gaze away, looking at something in the distant land.

"Raiken" he answered and returned his gaze at Hakkai's soothing face. A thin curl appeared in between the bluish lips. Hakkai was flattered. How innocent could a child be? Like the one standing before him; easily be baited with a generous smile.

Hakkai smiled. "Raiken…can you tell us who captured your brother?" he demanded for explanation though he expected less from a little youkai like Raiken. What would a five year old know?

Raiken shook his head frantically. Green hair swayed freely above his shoulder, keeping to the tempo of his head's movement. His eyes widened with fear as if talking would cost him something he could not bear. He tried to get away but Goku's grip never left his wrist and he was yanked back by the brown haired itan.

"Please Raiken… a man's life depends on your answer" Hakkai almost pled. They're running out of time and he had no time to carry on with the sweet talk. Gojyo's condition would get worse if he doesn't think of something.

Raiken stammered. He looked at Hakkai with disbelief and suddenly gulped nervously. "Is this man you're talking about has red hair?" he inquired. Beads of cold sweats started to emerge on his forehead.

Hakkai and Goku were astounded. They exchanged glances and then their gaze fell down to the green haired youkai, who stood bewilderedly at their faces. Hakkai nodded and said, "He's our friend"

The wind blew and brushed the green locks off his face. Raiken lowered his gaze and sobbed again, as if he had made a terrible mistake. A typical child he was, solving problems by crying and shedding tears, which often made adult felt rather threatened. Hakkai was confirmed him crying was the thing that had weakened Gojyo last night; for his weakness were tears of women and children.

"I don't mean to kill him…they made me do it and threatened to kill oniichan if I disobeyed their orders" Raiken explained as his sobs bobbed up and down in between his breath. They gave him no choice but to kill. They needed his skill to poison the red haired man because a tree youkai's poison was the deadliest poison among other poisons in Genkai. Tree youkais were expertise in mixing the deadly plants and herbs of the nature to form lethal poisons that would bring fatal impact to the victims. Being part of the nature, they were not only skillful in making lethal poison but also the cure.

Despite of the highly competence in producing weapons and cure from Mother Earth's gift, tree youkais were always a peaceful creature. They wouldn't use their poison to hurt other being since they used it only in hunting. Other than hunting; which was the only barbaric act others would say they did; tree youkais preferred to remain passive. Tree youkais were easily recognized by their green hair, a criterion that enabled them to camouflage among the leaves up on the trees.

Hakkai was speechless. Now he knew why Gojyo was defeated. It was possible that the hanyou let the little demon poisoned him of empathy. Gojyo was too sensitive on brotherhood, the only thing that he will take seriously other than his friends and women's cries.

"I don't want to kill him…" Raiken sobbed pathetically. His shoulders shook violently as he tried to hold back the streaming tears. "When I came back here to check on him…he's already gone" the next sentence came in somewhere in between the restless sobs.

"Why you'd come back?" asked Goku. Seeing the little one cried made his heart ached. The innocence in him seemed to battle hard with the rage, which had probably a hint of the emergence of Seiten Taisen.

Raiken rubbed his teary eyes with the back of his palm. His face had turned somewhat blue because the lack of oxygen from his continuous sobs. "He's not my enemy…I don't want to kill him, I just want oniichan to be safe" he explained faintly.

"We'll help you save your brother and then can you please help us with the cure?" Hakkai was being impatient. His mind had made way to a string of images of Gojyo fighting his death on the bed, stirring in a pool of blood. Hakkai shook his head. This was not the time for Gonou to arouse into the open. He didn't need Gonou in this time being, he had to think rationally. Gonou would only made things worse since Gonou never think before he leaps.

"Honto ni?" Raiken beamed up to Hakkai. Hope rose in his childish face. But then, his glimmering eyes lost it shines as he hunched his shoulders and sighed. Hakkai flinched at the sight. '_That is not a good sign_'

"Demo…I only know how to mix the poison, not the cure" Raiken's answer made Hakkai and Goku disheartened. They had lost their only hope. "But…"Raiken could sense the tense in the two men standing before him. Hakkai and Goku looked down to Raiken, waiting for the next words.

"Oniichan knew how to mix the cure"Raiken smiled heartily. He was too young to inherit the entire knowledge of his people but his brother was not. Raishou knew almost all the remedy for any cure and any poison. Their father had taught him well.

"Yukatta!" Goku lightened up and released the young youkai's wrist. "Now, let's go and save your brother" he wrapped a protective arm around Raiken's shoulder and smiled down to the little one.

Raiken smiled and the innocence Hakkai found in that smile made him think of Goku. A child with the power so lethal yet possessed such innocence that could melt any enemies' heart. The emerald-eyed youkai trailed the two young youkais as they walked to the awaiting jippu.

'_Gojyo…hang on'_ he prayed silently. '_We'll save you…_'

………………………….

He snapped his eyes opened and flinched at the stabbing pain that pricked through his eyelids as soon as rays of light shone upon him. Propping on one elbow, he rose up and lied on his side. Gojyo protected his eyes from the light with his arms and peeked from under it.

"Nani to?" he hissed and sat upright. He thought he heard Hakkai's voice. His chest pounded with pain and he stooped forward, bracing himself some more. As soon as the pain ceased, Gojyo looked around him. He was floating in an empty space, dark and cold. The only source of light came from somewhere before him, from a breach in the black hollow wall.

"Ah! Where's the hell am I?" Gojyo asked, more to himself than to anyone. He tried recalling the thing happened before he came to the empty space. He remembered drinking and gambling in the inn, daring Goku to drink a whole glass of sake without Sanzo's permission. He remembered going out of the bar and strolled around the town, looking for hot chicks. He remembered making his way to the red flowers meadow of where they had stopped to allow jippu a rest. He remembered meeting a little tree youkai crying in the middle of the red meadow and he remembered that that was where everything had started.

Gojyo could clearly picture the cries of the young one, sobbing his heart out and groaning out of sorrow. As usual, his soft heart melted at seeing the cries. Young ones cries always worked on him as good as women's cries. Not long after he sat down next to the young youkai and put his arms around his shoulder, asking him his problem, he was attacked by a group of war-like youkais.

Feared of the little one's life might be in danger, he shielded him with his shaku jou but before he could even fight, he felt something sharp pierced the back of his neck and his body felt numb at instant. He reached out for his neck and came in contact with a dart, sticking out of his flesh. Pulling the dart off, he turned around and studied the young youkai's figure. The boy held a bamboo shoot in his hand, looking up at him with dreary eyes."Gomen…" he remembered the last word whispered by the young youkai before the war-like youkai swarmed on him like hungry hyenas. He outlasted them somehow, though he could barely stand, and staggered his way back to the inn. He had kicked the door opened, and remembered seeing his comrades panicking. He fell in Hakkai's arms and the last thing he remembered was Sanzo crouching him to the bed.

"Damn it Gojyo! Don't you dare die on me!!" that what he last heard from Sanzo before he dozed off and ended up in this place, a place he didn't know where. Have he died? If he had, would this be…hell? No! It can't be! Hell was supposed to be fiery…well, that was what he heard people saying. This is definitely no Heaven. He was not sure he was an eligible candidate for a position in heaven. He doubted his comrades would be. They were the last choice for the Gods to fill the Heaven. After all, Heaven was supposed to be beautiful…he heard that from people's talking too.

Darn! Have he ever knew anything by himself and not by other's people talking? Now he envied Hakkai for knowing lots of thing by just reading books. Ch! He hated books! They made him sick! But at least he should read something on Heaven and Hell then he didn't have to worry on where he was right now. Was he worried? Gojyo scrambled to his feet. He toiled to stand up since his body ached everywhere and demanded for him to just lie down and sleep. He fought the urge and took his time to stand up. If he was dead, he was not going anywhere. Taking a step was another torment that he had to endure. He half-dragged his feet and started walking into the direction of the light.

Minutes passed by and he felt like it was hours of tortures. He kept dragging himself, stumbling down to his feet, rising up and started walking again. But he reached no end. Everything was just plain dark and empty. No sign of anything. The light seemed to move away from him, getting further and further every time he tried reaching for it. The dark abyss was pointless, no ends. Gojyo fell to his knees, losing all the energy to and the courage to keep moving on. He was as helpless as he was years ago, when he was just a child of eight.

This is it? Would it end just the way it started? I would end up being alone just like before? Will there be no one to lend me a shoulder to cry on? Will there be no one to hug me when I'm cold at night? No one to tell me everything is going to be all right when I'm scared? No one to say I cared for you and you'll ever be alone? Will it just be only me, me and myself? No other?

Gojyo felt pathetic, a loser he was. He was a hopeless damn spoiled brat who always troubled his stepmother. He was a half-breed, an offspring of a forbidden relationship between human and youkai. He was an infant from dirty blood. He belonged to nobody. He was nothing. Not a human, not a youkai…he was nothing at all.

Tears streamed down his cheeks. He felt it hot and steaming that it burnt his face. He had stopped crying long ago and now he had started all over again. He had forgotten how crying would feel like and he didn't like it. Why tears hurt?

Is it always like this? If then, why some people cried when they're happy. If it would hurt, why do they choose to cry to cherish something they treasured so much? He knew he was not happy. Not at this moment. Gathering his knees to his torso, he wrapped his arms around them and buried his face onto his cradle. He rocked back and forth, slowly and then convulsively. Soft moans escaped his dried lips and it bobbed up and down in between the pathetic wails.

How could he be so weak at this time? Why couldn't he stand up and fight like before? What's the use? He was dead anyway. There's no way he could find a way back to real life when he was trapped in the world of the dead.

Well...at least he had a found a place where the type of blood was not important. Why would dead people care for what you are? If I'm really in hell, people were busy attending to their punishment that they didn't have time to care for other's hair color. 'My hair color' and that comes with a stress on the word my.

'Better surrender' came the voice from the back of his head. "Why?" he asked.

'There's no point for you to return there…you belonged to no one' Gojyo shook his head, shoving the voice away from his head.

"No! I have my friends…"

'Friends? That's what you called friend?' it started to laugh menacingly. 'Was it a friend to point a gun at your head when you started to talk? Was it a friend that disturbed you days and night and not letting you have a day of peace?

"Hakkai had never mistreated me" he tried to defend his fellow comrades. He knew well who were the voice was referring to. But he never despised them for what they did. Sanzo could be mean sometime but he could also be softhearted at times. Goku…he's just being playful, a kid he was.

'Don't deny me! You know I'm right' the voice refused to leave. 'They would just leave you alone when it rains…even Hakkai' Gojyo gulped. His heart pumped faster than ever. The voice was right. Often he ended up being alone when it rained. Sanzo would turn moody out of a sudden and Hakkai was no better. Goku on the other hand never had the mood to do anything since his sun didn't shine when it rained.

"No…it's not true" Gojyo became weaker. He had no more strength to fight the voice. His voice had turned slow and frail.

'Just surrender yourself to death and you'll never be alone' the voice had found his triumph when Gojyo unconsciously nodded. He lied down on the floor…or rather nothing. Lying on his side, he curled up and wrapped his arms around his body. Gojyo closed his eyes. The red orbs set.

"Gomen minna-san" he whispered in between his breath and forfeited. He gave up on breathing and let his breath sank down to his lungs. He made no effort to encourage his heart to beat normally, for his blood to keep on running via his arteries and veins, for his brain to send neurons to his body systems and for his senses to work; worst he urged them to stop. "I couldn't go with you guys anymore"

"_Damn it Gojyo!"_

Suddenly he heard a voice, a very familiar voice. Gojyo cracked his eyes opened and stared at nothing before him. He urged his ears to listen intently. Was it a dream or it was really him?

"Was death the only way to run away from your fear?"

He heard him again. It is him all right. Wasting no more time, Gojyo sat upright and looked around him. There's no one. So, where did the voice comes from?

"_If you really want to die…then get up and let me shoot you in the head" _

Nani? You want to kill me? Are you crazy? Ch! You wouldn't let me die if it's not with your own hands eh bouzu? Damn it! Show yourself! Let me know I had the chance to survive this whole crap and I'll get up and give you a good square punch on the face you corrupted namaguza bouzu!!

"_Kono baka kappa! Give up now and I'll blast your head into pieces!" _

Shit! Where's the hell this guy learn the skill to threaten people? Give up now? Does that mean I'm still alive somewhere in the real world? Giving up means I'm still breathing, though shallowly. So, that was it. This is not the land of the dead. This is what was between the two worlds, an empty space for dying people. It was a space for them to wait and choose their path but which path to choose and where to begin?

……………………..

Sanzo sighed with relief. He let go off Gojyo's shoulders and hunched. That was a good tight grip. Gojyo's shoulders were a mass of bruises. Even his hands still shook with nervousness. He looked over his shoulder and studied Gojyo's laying figure. His breath had turned even and normal, though he could still hear the hissing sound of pain.

A moment ago he was shaking Gojyo's shoulders violently, shouting and screaming to his face. He had slapped the hanyou's face and threatened to shoot his head into pieces of flesh. Why? Because that damn half-breed had stopped breathing for almost a full couple of minutes. It's not the first time though. That bloody kappa had done the same thing twice since they were attacked by the war-like youkais.

"Baka yarou!" he cursed again.

Cursing was synonym to him and it was curses that woke Gojyo up from death. He was sure of it. The hanyou won't die if he could not return the curse to his face. It was just like their encounter with Chin Isou, the leader of the youkai clan that Hakkai had slaughtered years ago. It was when Gojyo had a growing seed in his heart and he had to put shoureijuu in a good use and shot the hanyou's chest to eliminate the evil device.

"_If he's weak, then better for him to die" he said and pointed shoureijuu to the kappa's chest, aiming for the heart. _

"_Ch! I wouldn't die easily you corrupted monk…" Gojyo fought back with a gnashing teeth and sweaty forehead. Unfortunately he had Goku clasping to his shoulders or else Sanzo was sure the red headed would scrammed up on him. _

_The shoureijuu blasted and Hakkai set work on healing Gojyo's 'bypass surgery' wound with his ki. _

That kappa will survive if he kept cursing to his face. However, he knew it wouldn't be for long until the poison flooded his system, until Gojyo was too weak to fight back. But before the time comes, he would just continue on cursing; the only skill he had in attending anyone even the broken ones, and hoping that Hakkai and Goku would find the cure.

Sanzo clasped his hands and propped his head. Slowly, he sled from the bed and descended to the floor. Leaning his back against the bedside, he sighed. His body was utterly overpowered by fatigue. The muscles ached and his head had grown a little light headed.

The sun was descending to the horizon in the west since the last time he took charge of nursing Gojyo. Dokugakuji had fallen asleep while he was on guard. Damn brothers! Why do they have to be from the same gene? Gojyo always fell asleep when he was on guard and he had to execute a punishment to put him awake.

Usually a blast from the shoureijuu would do perfect.

He ran his fingers through the golden strands and closed his eyes for a brief moment of silence. Yet, he cracked his eyes opened and forced himself to get out of the wobbly state of his body. The dawn breeze blew in faintly through the wide opened window. The sky had glimmering rays of afterglows, painting the whole land with golden color of nature. It's going to be dark soon and Hakkai and Goku hadn't returned with the cure. 'What's taking them so long?'

Knowing Hakkai, who had shared the same house with Gojyo for the past three years, Sanzo was aware the dark haired won't let the hanyou man died. Three years were a good amount of time to build up a strong bond between the two. Hakkai would find the cure somehow, by hook or by crook.

He abruptly turned his head to his back when the broken man on the bed gave out to another loud agonizing cry. Wasn't he was in the same condition with Gojyo on the night after the encounter with the fake Sanzo, the disciple of Unako Sanzo? Sanzo felt like punching the kappa's face and quieted him for good. But then, he wouldn't know if the man was still breathing or the other way around. Hearing Gojyo screaming and moaning with pain were the only sign he was still alive even though not kicking.

"Shut your cake hole, you dumbass!" he shouted with unexplainable rage. Was he irritated by listening to Gojyo's scream? Or was he irritated of himself for not being able to do something to help lessen the pain?

Sanzo leaned the back of his head on the bedside, almost touching Gojyo's feeble arm. He knew it was ridiculous but his stomach growled violently. He wouldn't give it a damn if it was Goku's but this was his stomach, rumbling desperately for food.

Sanzo hissed with disgust. When was the last time he ate anything? He hadn't had the chance to even take a bite on today's breakfast and since that he never touched any food at all. But believed it or not, he hadn't had the appetite. He had had a good taste of blood but nothing else. His tongue had turned completely bitter. Blamed it on the kappa! Even more, he had a very demanding desire for nicotine. _Nicely done kappa! You made me stopped smoking and not eating. I'll kill you for that_! His hands itched for the harisen but who was there to whack? Goku was not here and Gojyo…he doubted if the kappa would survive a single whack.

"Better give yourself a rest bouzu…you looked like a mess" out of the blue, Dokugakuji opened his mouth, much to Sanzo's surprise. He thought the man was asleep. Shit! He must have been pretending all those time.

"None of your friggin' business!" he snapped back and retired into a pretender's sleep. He had not the strength to shoot or whack the sturdy youkai's head. Now that the youkai was not sleeping, he could finally take a rest though he was sure he would get none.

Dokugakuji replied the curse with a retiring humph. He knew he shouldn't say anything to the monk about getting a rest. It would turn out the same as Kou's reply. These leaders, why do they have to be so hard headed? He was rather thankful though. Sanzo had not stopped attending Gojyo since he came in. The monk sat devotedly at Gojyo's bedside, cursing his half-breed brother to snap out of his dying state and urging him for a fight. What a strange way to encourage someone to live? But knowing Gojyo, he knew it would work. Gojyo was too ego to lose himself over unforgiving curses and challenges, especially from the monk.

Suddenly, the room turned quiet, too quiet and too serene. Something was wrong; something was definitely wrong. This room was not supposed to be quiet with a moaning man around. You ought to hear wailings of pain and cries of agony. They heard none.

Sanzo cracked his eyes opened. The silence was too weird that he could not allow himself not to fuss over it. He turned over to Gojyo and gasped at seeing the kappa had stopped wailing for good. Serenity fell on his white pale face. He seemed to be asleep; sleeping in the real meaning of sleep. Sanzo and Dokugakuji exchanged glances. Was that a good sign? That the wounded man had already fallen asleep with no sign of pain?

……………………

"Search for the light"

Suddenly a soft sweet voice swept by his ears. Gojyo turned around and saw a lady in white. Her raven black hair flailed gently even though there's no wind blowing upon her. The white gown dropped loose over his slender figure. She was beautiful and charming, yet it was not the same beauty of women he had met before. This beauty was different. He loved it; not sexually. This was different, totally different. Her sheer red lips curled up into a comforting smile. Her brown eyes glimmered at him. He was pleased having her with him, but why?

Gojyo stared at her and found the courage to say something. "Who are you?"

The lady in white smiled sweetly.

"Gojyo…I'm your mother"

TBC


	5. The offers for comfort

Disclaimer: None of the boys are mine.

a/n: I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter (5 years of delay). Hope this chapter could mend things. Not sure whether I still had the touch. I'll try to finish the fic once and for all (including the other two). And for the regular readers, I'm very sorry this story took forever to get updated. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 5

"_Gojyo…I'm your mother"_

Everything around them seemed to stop. Silence conquered the pitch black area like death; so sudden and unpredictable. The only sound that he could hear was the beating of his own heart; normal at first and getting harsh as seconds passed by.

"Ch-" Gojyo was getting annoyed at the sound of his own heartbeat. Now he wished for it to stop beating so it would not produce any sound at all. The fiery red globes were fixed on the slender figure in front of him. He stared at her as if he was peeling off her skin.

"Heh!" suddenly he smirked and burst out laughing to his heart content. He laughed until tears came rolling down his bony cheeks and until his stomach churned. Gojyo fell to his knees, pounding on earth, laughing maniacally. The red haired laughed until he ran out of breath.

As immediately as he had started laughing, Gojyo suddenly fell silent and then sighed incredulously. "Hai hai.."

"Is this a prank the bouzu trying to pull on me?" Gojyo snarled at her and suddenly turned to every direction of the lost space. "Oi! Namaguza bouzu! Your joke sucks! It's not funny at all!" he mocked to an unknown direction. '_Not funny, but why am I laughing like hell_?'

Gojyo looked at her. There was no stir of emotion on her beautiful face. She kept on smiling sweetly at his direction. He heaved a deep breath and wiped the jaunty locks from his face. Gojyo rose up to his feet and stood right before her.

"Okay lady, no more games" he said it coldly.

"I'm in no mood to play" he warned as he walked towards her; the shaku jou already in sight.

"Who sent you here?"

Gojyo looked as fierce as he never did before.

"The bouzu is not too kind to send me a beautiful companion"

The shaku jou in parry.

"Na…na Gojyo, it is not very kind of a gentleman to say something like that" she said softly, a soothe to his ears. The smile was still there on her beautifully perched lips.

"Don't talk as if you are my mother!!" he screamed as he charged towards her, bringing the shaku jou down to her head in a deadly blow. But, in a fraction of a second, the shaku jou vanished in the thin air, sending him stumbling forward due to the momentum.

'_What the hell_?' a glimpse of thought flashed through his mind. The shaku jou vanishing was not usual. The weapon was a part of him, a part of his soul and it never betrayed him before. However, at this very moment it denied his urge to attack; as if knowing that he never intended to attack her in the first place.

"Daijobou desuka Gojyo-chan?" involuntarily, he fell into her arms and immediately he felt at ease. His aching muscles relaxed and his mind never felt so peaceful. Awkwardly, he felt safe and secure in her loving embrace.

She sunk slowly to the ground, bringing him down with her as she did and delicately folding her arms around him. He surrendered to her willingly, incapable of resisting the desire to be showered by her love; a love that he never understood. Gojyo rested his head on her lap and studied her face adoringly. His fiery red eyes met her soothing blue eyes.

"Why did you leave me alone?" he asked, almost whimpering.

"Okaasan?"

She said nothing and caressed his cheek, wiping the tears which had started to pool at the corner of his eyes.

"It's been so long Gojyo-chan" she did not answer him.

"Yes"

"I love you and please don't forget that"

She lowered her face and kissed Gojyo's brows. He could feel her soft silky hair wiping his face; it smelt so nice. Then, the sweet fragrant reminded him of something. It was the same scent from the red flower he used to pick for his step-mother. '_No wonder she hated it so much'_.

This time Gojyo was not able to hold back the tears. It streamed down his cheeks like a broken dam. He whined sadly; breaking down just like a child. He had a lot of questions to ask her but unwillingly, his lids were getting heavier and he tried in vain to fight the sudden feeling of sleepiness that was fast overpowering him.

"Kaasan…"he cried softly.

"Sleep now Gojyo-chan…"she kissed his forehead and closed his eyes with her cold palm. She started singing a lullaby Gojyo had long forgotten and he could not hold it anymore as he fell into a peaceful slumber, lulled to sleep with his mother's soft voice and sweet lullaby.

…………………………………………………

Dokugakuji glanced around the room, there was nothing much to see; ashtray full of cigarette butts, unwashed dishes all over the dining table, empty beer cans everywhere on the floor, a sore in the eyes. Excessive alcohol and nicotine; as if it is a sign the ikkou was in a desperate need of dying. He shook his head. "Everybody have a terrible past, don't they?"

The so-called monk had finally ceased cursing and firing. Instead he sat cross-legged next to Gojyo's bed, head slightly bowed to the chest. A soft snore surfaced once in a while. He had fallen asleep approximately ten minutes ago, since Gojyo had stopped moaning and screaming out of pain. Perhaps both of them had found their peace of mind, even for a little time.

Doku managed a slight curl on his lips; unsure of the reason for it. Maybe he was entertained; looking at Sanzo and Gojyo, both were his enemies, now fragile and frail; easy targets for him. Now could be the perfect time for him to seize the maten kyoumou. But he was in no mood of fighting. He did not come here today as their enemy, as Dokugakuji. He realized that just a moment ago, that he really came as Jien, Gojyo's onii-san.

He could never figure out the reason why he had left Gojyo. Was it because of anger towards Gojyo for making him killed his own mother? Was it because he felt guilty towards his mother's attempt to kill Gojyo? Or was it because he feared he would turn into his mother, seeing his dark past in Gojyo and soon would try to kill the little boy that he loves so much? He couldn't make out the answer. That day, he could just reach out a hand to Gojyo and they could start a new happy life, but he chose to run away from him, away from his brother's world. Doku stared at Gojyo's face.

The bruised and battered face reminded him of the little Gojyo that he used to protect. Back then, everyday he would come back from work seeing Gojyo badly beaten; face swollen, lips grazed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. It was a terrible welcome home sight.

He cupped his face and sighed. The memory never really leaved him. The sight of Gojyo; all gory and bloody; taunted his dreams since forever. The kid's absentminded face clung to his mind like nights and days. 'Gojyo…'

A slight movement of the broken man on the bed drew him away from recollection of his past. He looked up to Gojyo. Unaware that he was being observed, Gojyo rolled to his side - facing the monk's back and the empty wall – and curled up like a fetus in a womb.

"Gojyo?" he called soothingly.

Doku walked towards the hanyou and sat next to him on the bed. He peered to Gojyo's face. Shockingly, he was shedding tears but he was not yet awake from his comatose. Gojyo's face looked terribly sad but undisturbed. Doku put a hand on Gojyo's shoulder; amazingly the fever had broken but Gojyo's skin was still too hot to Doku's liking. But at least he was not sweating or vomiting blood anymore.

It was surprising Gojyo was still alive judging on the amount of blood he had shed during the last hours. The room was smeared with blood and the bed sheet, for heaven's sake, the hotel keeper would be having hard time washing the bed sheet. Maybe he would resort to burning it instead to keep bad omen away. The white linen had turned eerily red, Doku felt sick himself when he came in earlier. Somehow, he was grateful Gojyo had in his blood the demon's blood – _not a very wishful thinking_ – or else he wouldn't survive even the first hour after he was poisoned.

Doku glanced at the sleeping monk who was oblivious in his slumber. It was even more surprising the monk was being protective towards the hanyou. He knew him as a heavy smoker but he had not seen once Sanzo trying to sneak out of the room for the need of nicotine. This one might not be as expressive as Kougaiji but he was still a leader. So maybe he did care for his subordinates though he rarely shows it in the open. Hakkai left Sanzo behind to take care of the wounded surely for good reasons. The monocle eyed man would never trusted anyone if he thought he or she was incapable of doing their job.

So far the monk had done fairly good job – _putting aside all the cursing and the bullet he had shot out _– as a nurse. Doku was having a hard time to touch Gojyo under the piercing protecting glare of the infamous Genjo Sanzo. Every time he offered soothing for the broken man, Sanzo would be standing by the bedside – _arms folded across his chest and eyes glued to Doku's hands_- like a guardian dog, so afraid of anyone hurting his master or maybe his possession.

When Sanzo finally confirmed Doku was there simply to fulfill the role of a big brother, he eased a bit. At least he had loosened the stare though not the overprotective sense. That was the time the monk decided to take a break and fall asleep.

It was funny really that he suddenly realized he was the oldest among everybody in the two ikkous. Gojyo, Kougaiji, Yaone, Sanzo, and Hakkai were barely adults; aging not less than 23 years old. He was sure of that. Goku and Lirin, despite being teenagers their minds worked like toddlers. However, their young age didn't determine the hardships they had endured during their entire life. Each and every one of them had histories they tried in vain to forget. He himself, though having the same burden couldn't help feeling sorry for the 'kids'.

A soft moan brought Dokugakugaji back to reality. He turned to Gojyo. The red haired didn't seem to be in pain. He had a slight tremble throughout his body but Doku really believed his brother had found inner peace that enabled him to control the pain. So, he pulled the bedcover – _the one Gojyo had violently kicked away when he was fighting with pain_ – over his brother's lanky figure and tucked it under his chin.

Gojyo seemed to be thankful for the warmth as he burrowed into the bedcover and sighed with relief. Doku's lips curled involuntarily. He had forgotten the feeling that always washed over him every time he tucked Gojyo to bed at nights when he was still a kid. In his own turmoil, he had found peace in watching a sleeping Gojyo. He had the feeling washing over him right now.

Reaching out, he put a hand on Gojyo's head and rubbed his thumb on his brother's forehead. Chasing away whatever bad dreams he might be having. He smiled contently as Gojyo leant comfortably towards the touch and snuggled deeper into the bedcover. Unwilling to take away the privilege he had just given to Gojyo, Doku settled himself by Gojyo's side and leant his back against the headboard.

Shockingly, Gojyo turned to him and nestled his face to his thigh. His body stiffened he was unconsciously holding his breath, fearing it would awaken Gojyo and made his brother stirs away from him. When he was sure Gojyo wouldn't budge, then only had he started breathing again. His body went lax and he smiled as he patted Gojyo's head, giving his needed reassurance that his big brother was not going anywhere.

'Ch!' Sanzo snorted silently. He had watched too much.

The monk was stirred from sleep when he felt the bed he'd been using as back support started creaking behind him. Being overly alert, he was ripped from his sleep and immediately turned to his back. The thought of Gojyo vomiting blood and suffering another violent series of seizure almost made him gag. Instead, he found Doku sitting on Gojyo's bedside, patting the kappa on the head as the latter snuggled closely to the older man's lap. He'd been watching since then, but when it became too much for him to handle, Sanzo turned away.

Looking around, the golden haired found a bundle of crumpled bed sheets at one corner of the room. Any new occupant would think the bed sheets were red in color, little less they would expect the red color was blood spewed from a man's gut. Sanzo cringed at the thought. Sometime his mind got to creative at imagining things.

Darkness had finally prevailed outside their inn. They got one whole night before the poison would start snaking Gojyo's veins, poisoning the hanyou's blood. Then no antidote in the world would work on treating him. The last time he checked, Gojyo's fingernails and lips had already turned bluish purple; not a good sign. His heart was failing and it would not be long before it would stop working altogether. Even if Hakkai brought back the antidote in time, Gojyo was too damn damaged in the inside. _'Damn Hakkai! Where are you?'_

……………………………………….

Hakkai felt the hair at the back of his neck prickled eerily, sending a shudder through his body. He gulped nervously. Whether he was hallucinating or he was too absorbed with worries, he was hearing things. He thought he heard Sanzo cursing him as if the monk was standing right behind him.

"What Hakkai?" Goku was over sensitive.

They had been spying on the enemy's lair for the last ten minutes after a hectic journey of creeping through the woods. Thank God for his sensitive sense of smell and Hakkai's expertise in determining direction, they were spared from getting lost in the woods and from enduring a wild goose chase when time was of essence here.

"Nothing…thought I heard Sanzo's voice" Hakkai smiled shamefully.

Goku eyes widened with disbelief as the monocle eyed man giggled nonchalantly. Sometime Hakkai could be creepy. Sanzo was miles away from them, how could he have been hearing him now? Could it be the woods were haunted? Goku looked around him warily.

"It's only my imagination" Hakkai whispered and Goku heaved a deep relieved breath.

Hakkai switched off his creepy mode and turned serious all of a sudden. They had finally reached the enemy's lair. The youkais were not of Kougaiji's or Homura's. They must have been street youkais whose leader was obsessed with Sanzo's flesh; eager of being immortal. _What a foolish thought to think by eating a monk's flesh could makes you immortal – Sanzo's flesh to add in?_ Hakkai always thought it was absurd.

They had identified the leader's tent, the number of fighters at the lair and Raishou's cage. The young youkai was confined in a cage hung up on a tree branch. Raishou was just inches taller than Raiken, must have aged not more than 10.

"So, what's our plan?" Goku asked.

"We walk in, kill anyone who come in between us and Raishou, save him and move our butt away from here" Hakkai simply said with his index finger pointing up.

Goku didn't even blink as he stared at Hakkai's face. Raiken was even worst. His jaw hung low and his eyes were wide with horror. Suddenly he thought bringing the men there was not a good idea. But then maybe Goku would have a better idea.

"I like it!" Goku's response made Raiken gawked with fret. So much for thinking Goku would have a better idea. The brown haired youngster was not even thinking.

Raiken almost jump when Hakkai turned to him and held his shoulders firm. "Raiken, I want you to stay here and do not move or even flinch" he stared into his eyes with a glare so frightening Raiken almost whimpered.

"Whatever happened, don't come out from your hiding place" Hakkai warned him and Raiken nodded hesitantly. He was young alright but still he wanted to help, he wanted to be a part of the rescue mission. But the glare the green eyed man was giving him made him scared shitless out his pants.

Goku patted Raiken's shoulder. The young itan had a more comforting gaze compared to when they first met. Raiken squirmed uneasily under the gazes. "We'll save Raishou, that's a promise" Goku beamed down to him and he couldn't help but smiled back.

"Now, sit down silently" Hakkai hushed him and he obediently crouched on the ground. Hakkai pushed his head softly so it was leveled with the ground. He was just becoming comfortable with the touch when Hakkai lifted his hand away and started walking away from the bushes. Raiken stole a glance and saw Hakkai and Goku sneaking into the lair swiftly like a snake.

Hakkai was the first to sneak from the bushes and tiptoed towards a nearby tree, shielding himself against the big bark. The darkness of the night made it easier for them to creep into the lair unnoticed. Goku followed, as silent as a lamb. The brown haired didn't bother to hide as he dashed into the middle of the lair, where the youkais were having drinks of booze and beers, with his nyoibou in parry. His job was to be a decoy so Hakkai could get to Raishou and release him from captivity.

'_So they had a plan after all' _Raiken felt like a fool. He should have known. Hakkai and Goku were fighters. They didn't need to sit down and plan ahead. They had the plan fixed in their brain after too much fighting. He watched in awe as Goku fought with the army of youkais; tossing and turning his nyoibou in the air, vanquishing the youkais with violent swirls of his extra terrestrial weapon. He had managed to kill half of the youkais and yet the enemies hadn't had the chance to touch even a single hair.

"You dare come to our place alone?" one of the youkai shrieked to Goku. Being attacked at their own lair was embarrassing enough, and being outnumbered by a single fighter, it was a shame they couldn't live with.

"You are going to die!" obviously the enemies were not aware of their opponent's skill and strength as he darted towards Goku with his sword held above his head.

"Bring it on!" Goku smirked cynically. This was the easiest fight ever.

Hakkai looked over his shoulder and shook his head with disbelief. Goku was definitely having fun killing the youkais. He knew he would to, after what they did to Gojyo. He would slay them mercilessly. So far, Goku had been a good decoy. No youkais was alerted by his move towards Raishou's cage.

"Where do you think you are going?"

A husky voice brought him to a halt. In front of him stood a man twice his size and height. Maybe he had spoken a little too early. The man's frame was a mass of muscle enveloped in a tight skin. Hakkai stupidly wondered why the skin hadn't broken yet.

Hakkai smiled indifferently as he stood up straight and bowed. "I'm going to save the boy" he gestured to Raishou.

"You have to get through me first"

"Looks like I have no choice ne?" Hakkai smiled as he quietly moved his feet and stood in a fighting stance, ready for assault.

TBC


End file.
